PIP HOME ASSESMENT

Hi every, have been subscribing for quite some time when i had to change over to esa, i have been reading through the forums for some time but, never commented or asked any questions. im very shy but also at the moment, am now very scared and worried sick, appointement this has given me the courage to come on and ask some questions from people that have gone through the same d.l.a change over to pip. I am on dla indefinate and was sent a form to apply for pip in may,I didnt think indefinate people were due until oct this yr? I suffer with mulitple conditions,My main conditions are severe depression, with suicide attemps in the past but havent done this for i think 4yrs, chronic anxiety, osteoporosis, osetoarthritis, psiriatic arthritis, copd, severe agoraphobia and now house bound and also fibrmyalgia. I have a someone from atos coming this Friday and am worrying myself sick. Im worried what he/she is going to ask me as i find it extremly difficult to express myself., im panicking at the thoughts of having to talk to strangers and if they are going to ask to examine me. there is not a chance i will let anyone other than my gp do this. can i refuse to be examined and have to take my clothes of? im hoping my daughteer will be here all through the assesment but, she has other commitments that day, i didnt want to cancell, i want to get it over and done with..will they try and make me do something that is going to course me even more pain, i have pain on a daily bases but, know my limits. What is i get brain fog, which is very likely with my fibromyalgia, can i ask to stop the assesment for a few min and leave the room if i need to until i get my thoughts together? How long will it take from start to finish.
what are they going to ask that they havent already asked on the form? i have read the guide many times but my memory and concentration is terribel.any reasurance please,and thank you

Hi and thank you so much for your reply, I have read they are not allowed to ask to remove under garments, but nothing aboout clothes.so am i right in thinking, they cannot ask me to take any of my clothes of? or, if they do i can refuse? will this affect my claim in anyway refusing to let them examine me at all. if they ask me to do anything that i know is going to cause extreme pain, i.e bending to touch my toes,bending my legs or, lifting my arms further than i would normally be unable to do because this is going to cause me allot more pain than i already suffer. Am i giving a good enough reason as to why i cant and wont do what there asking because of the pain it will cause?I dont want to come across as not being compliant, I also get extremely embarassed at showing my body, even if i didnt have health problems, i still would refuse to take of my clothes. Maybe i am over reacting with my thoughts, My mind is working over time and i cant think straight. im panicking just at the thoughts of being examined

sharon wrote: Hi and thank you so much for your reply, I have read they are not allowed to ask to remove under garments, but nothing aboout clothes.so am i right in thinking, they cannot ask me to take any of my clothes of? or, if they do i can refuse? will this affect my claim in anyway refusing to let them examine me at all. if they ask me to do anything that i know is going to cause extreme pain, i.e bending to touch my toes,bending my legs or, lifting my arms further than i would normally be unable to do because this is going to cause me allot more pain than i already suffer. Am i giving a good enough reason as to why i cant and wont do what there asking because of the pain it will cause?I dont want to come across as not being compliant, I also get extremely embarassed at showing my body, even if i didnt have health problems, i still would refuse to take of my clothes. Maybe i am over reacting with my thoughts, My mind is working over time and i cant think straight. im panicking just at the thoughts of being examined

Hi s,

As Gordon has advised, the PIP Assessment is not really a "medical" it is more of a Q & A session which may involve some very basic "medical" examination.

It should not involve you having to remove any clothing.

In anticipation, you could wear clothes that do away with the necessity to remove any of them.

e.g. Wearing a short sleeved or loose sleeved upper garment when you go for a Blood Test or Flu jab.

There is a difference between refusing outright to carry out an action, and stating that you cannot carry out the action due to it causing you severe pain or discomfort.

If it is the latter, you should make it clear that you are not simply refusing without good cause , but cannot carry out the action without it causing you severe pain and discomfort.

In the very unlikely event that they do ask you to remove clothing, you should explain that you are not simply refusing, giving reasons why.

In case you haven't already done so, you can read what to expect at your PIP Assessment from page 70 of our : PIP Claims Guide. (2nd Link on page)

Feedback from our members regarding PIP Home Assessments is positive in the main.

The main problems seem to be them not turning up !

You can choose the room that you wish the assessment to take place in, although you may wish to show them any aids or adaptations that you use in other rooms, if applicable.

You can have someone else present and they can take note.

Try not too worry too much, and please keep us updated.

bro58

Thank you so much for reply, i feel a little better hearing it is doubtful to be asked to remove my clothes. appointment is between 10.30 and 12.30, im hoping 10.30 will be the arrival time, If they dont turn up at all, i will be going frantic, i do hope this doesnt happen. this will cause me allot of distress, im going to be very anxious and panicky enough as it is.
I will update you as soon as this is over, thank you again.

HI, i had my assessment yesterday, not as bad as i was expecting. The lady that csm was very nice and told me that, because i have several condition that have simular symptoms, it was quite clear on my form, what conditions affected which activity.

I have osteoarthritus, psiriatic arthritus and fibromyalgia.. it very difficult to pin point and say, which of these condtiions is causing which pain. they all have the same symptoms.

A reason why my head was totally going when trying to get the forms filled out. on each activity, it was put that the pain is caused by arthritus and fb.

So visit was brief question on how each condition affect me..she was here 1hr 36 min, i was in so much pain, my head went after 30mim of sitting in one postion, i kept reajusting and letting her know it was causing me pain and she did say, feel free to move around but, i felt to embarrsed to move?

she was made aware that i was in dreadful pain throughout the whole assessment, on my esa form, i did say after 10 /15 min i have to move unless im lay down but wasnt asked on the pip form how long, i do hope they dont think im telling lies becasue, i was to embarssed to move around. anyway,

the assesment, she asked me about every condition that was on the form, even the ibs, migraines skin psoriosis osteoporosis, i kept telling her, i dont know if the symptons were caused by which condition. axample, morning stiffness, joint pain, its a sympton of them all. when it comes to the fb and arthritus in my case they are pretty much the same. i was asked to remember 3 items and she came bk to that later later, i couldnt remember the third, i wa asked to spell world backwards, and some basic maths,

After all the questions, i eas ask to show her how i moved around and how i could move my joints, this was all over joints from neck to feet. i had to remove my hand supports but not my knee supports.that was the last bit. on leaving she said to my daughter that, she would be requesting that, i wasnt reviewed again for at least 2/3 yrs but get intouch if my condiotion worsens.

so dont know if her saying that is good or not? as for being worried about removing my clothes, thank goodness i was asked, i was panicking over that one.
thank you for all you do and the replies.